Motion-picture-film container.



NTAINER.

I I8. 1,295,372. Patented Feb. 25, 1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET ATTORNEY G. E. RIDDLE & W. QUEIROLO.

MOTION PICTURE FILM CONTAINER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 11. IQIB.

1,295,372. Patented Feb. 25, 1919.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

. INVENTOR 1 2. V 776x4 6,

ATTdRNEY G. E. RIDDLE & W. QUElROLU.-

MOTFON PI-CTURE FILM CONTAINER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. II, 918.

nu ma H 0 2M 4 0mm R M t.3\. n

. W A TTORNEY i and WILLIAM QUEIRoLo, citizens of the GEORGE E. RIDDLE AND WILLIAM QUEIROLO, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA. MOTION-PICTURE-FILM CONTAINER.

Application filed March 11, 1918. Serial No. 223,236.

To all whom it may concern: out the said specification and drawings,

Be it known that we, GEORGE E. RIDDLE, and in which 1 Figure 1 is a broken perspective view of United States, residing in the city and our improved device disclosing one concounty of San Francisco and State of Calitainer in a discharging and another locked fornia, have jointly invented a new and in a retaining position. useful Improvement in Motion-Picture- Fig. 2' is an enlarged transverse sectional Film Containers, of which the following is view of the container disclosing one of the a specification. ynits in a locked retaining position;

Our invention relates to'containers for Fig. 3 is a similar view disclosing the motion picture films and the like wherein unit in a discharging osition; pivoted containers operate tofacilitate the Figs. 4 and 5 are a ront and side elevasafe handling of motion picture films durtion respectively modified of a form of the to provide a shipping and dispensing conin transportation. invention;

ane of the objects of our invention is to Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view ofone of safeguard highly inflammable and combustithe covers disclosing the moisture retaining ble motion picture films both during transmeans; portation and also while in the operating Fig. 7 is a side elevation of Fig. 6; room. ig. 8 is an enlarged sectional view taken Another object of the present invention is on line 88 of Fig. 6; and

Fig. 9 is an enlarged sectional view in tainer that is simple, cheap and fireproof detail of a portion of one of the containers and one that will facilitate the discharge disclosing the method of fireproof construcand retention of films. Also to provide a tion.

container that will be automatically closed Referring to the drawings the numeral 1 and locked by introduoin a film thereby is used'to designate a suitable rectangular preventing the exposure 0 said film to deframe surrounded with a housing 2. The struction by fire, accumulation of dust or frame 1 is provided with a plurality of forother debris.- wardly and downwardly inclined braces 3 It is a furtherobject of our invention to reaching from the upper back portion to the provide a dispensing container that will aulower front portion of the frame 1 and protomatically remain in an'open or dischargvided at their approximate central portions ing position while empty. with bearings or journals 4.

Another object is to provide such con- Between each pair of adjacent journals 4 tainers in theform of unit construction are pivotally mounted motion picture film wherein the respective units will be assemcontainers designated in general by the nu- ".bled in convenient form for transportation, meral 6.

and, when" a cover is removed will be In order to provide adequate protection readily accessible for selective'use.

A'further object isto provide a device of the containers 6, and for other purposes the character described wherein'the indi-" hereinafter set forth, said containers are vidual containers will be pivotally mounted formed preferably of two side pieces 7,

in eccentric relation to the axis of the roll which are rectangular with semicircular of films to bestored in order to utilize the ends, and a strip 8 which forms a semic'iri weight and gravitation of said film to'open cular bottom and end pieces between the and close said device; and also sides 7, said strip 8 being secured to the Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Feb. 25, 1919.

against fire to the films contained within To provide, in a film container, a humidor pieces 7 by means of double lapped joints 9 adapted to prevent the films from becomas disclosed in Fig. 9 of the-drawings.

ing too dry and cracking; 4 By. means of this arrangement there are We accomplish these several features by no soldered seams to be melted in case of means of the device disclosed in the draw: fire' or heat from a fire so that the contents ings forming a part of the present specifiof the containers 6 will therefore be procation wherein like characters of reference tected as the double lappedjoints" or seams are used to designate similar parts through- 9 will hold the containers together.

Each-container 6 is pivotally mounted between adj'acent hearings or journals 4 by means of trunnions 11 which are situated below and diagonally from the center of 5 gravity of each container 6 whereby said container will be automatically retained by v 6 is in a discharging position and swingshut when in a retaining position.

Each cover 12 is provided with a spring latch 14 having a recess 16 arranged toengage the upper front portion of the frame 1 and thereby automaticallylock the cover 12 .and the container 6 in a retaining or shipping position. Each latch 14 is provided with a ring 17 by means of which said latch may be disengaged from the frame 1. By referring to Fig. 2 of the drawings it will be observed that by pulling downward on the ring 17 the recess 16 of the latch 14 will be disengaged from the front of the frame 1 and the container 6 will be'moved upon its trunnions 11 to the discharging position disclosed in- Fig. 3 of the drawings.

3 In order to keep" the films moist during transportation or storage we have provided the cover 12 with a humidor attachment 18 containing a suitable absorbent material for the retention of moisture. The attachment 18 is perforated. as at 19 to permit-the permeation of the interior of the container .6

with fumes or vapor'from the said humidor 18.

This feature is provided as it has been found in practice that motion picture films tend to become dry and crack easily during long periods of transportation or storage.

By supplying a humidor to impart a pro-per degree of humidity to the interior of the container 6 the films are prevented from becoming dry and from cracking.

' A suitable door 21. is hingedly mounted to the front'lower portion of the frame'l and the bottom' of the housing 2 therefor by means of which the entire frame may be inclosed for transportation or storage purposes. -The'frame 1 is also provided with folding legs 22 pivotally mounted upon each corner l of the frame 1. The legs are retained in a supporting position, while the container is 1n an operating room, by means of suitable braces 23 hingedly connected to one set v of legs and having a slot 24 in the opposite e d thereof to engage lugs 26 m the ad a- 'in the preferred form of the invention.

cent legs as disclosed in Fig. 1 of the draw- 7 ing's. During transportation these legs 22 may be folded to facilitate handling-of th frame 1.

It is obvious that as the containers 6 are pivotally mounted below and diagonally from their centers of gravity that the force of gravity will tend to automatically retain said containers in either an upright retaining or a substantially horizontal discharging position as disclosed in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings.

Therefore, when a film roll has been removed from a container, when in a discharging position, said container will be automatically retained 'in that position thus indicating to the operator the container within which the reel, to be returned belongs.

.The containers 6 are so mounted within the frame'l that when in a discharging position the lowerportion or floor of the interior of that container will be slightly inclined to facilitate removal of the reel of film from within.

Therefore, the door or cover 12 of a container 6 in discharging position will tend to swing open thus rendering that container conspicuous as may be observed by referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings.

When a reel of film, indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2 of the drawings, is returned to a container the center of gravity of the combined .reel, film and container is automatically placed' back of the trunnions 11 andthereforethe container is automatically returned to a vertical retaining position and automatically locked in that position by the engagement of the recess 16'of the latch 14 with the front upper portion of the frame 1.

In Figs. 4 and 5 we have illustrated a modified form of the invention where n the doors 12 are hingedly mounted at one side thereof instead of at the end as disclosed It is obvious fromthe foregoing that we have provided an improved mot1on picture film containing and dispensing 'devlce having improved means for automatically looking the containers in a closed and retaining position as well as improved means for antomatically retaining said containers in a discharging position to indicate the con- I tainer to which a removal reel of film is to be returned.

Having thus described our lnventlon what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is-- p 1. A motion picture film container open at the top thereof and pivotally mounted at a point situated below and diagonally from thecenter of gravity of sad container whereby said container may be automatically retained in a vertical retalnlng posh tion or a substantially horizontal dlscharging position; and means for limitin the movement of the container about its plyotal point; and a cover 'hingedly mounted uppn the container and arranged to swing. open when said container is in a discharging position andto close when said container is returned to a retaining position; and means secured to the cover to lock the container in a retaining position.

2. The combination with a suitable frame of a plurality of containers each having an opentop and pivotally mounted within the frame at a" point situated below and diagonally from its center ofgravity whereby said container may be automatically retained in a vertical retaining or a substantially horizontal discharging position, said frame being arranged to limit the movement of said containers to either position; a cover hingedly mounted upon the top of each contalner and arranged to swing open when said container is in a discharging position and to swing shut when said container is movedto a retaining position; and means mounted upon each cover to automatically lock said cover shut and to retain the container anal retaining position when said container is swung to said retaining position.

ally mounted ,within the frame at a 3. The combination with a suitable frame of a plurality of motion picture film containers each having an open top and pivotint situated on each container below and diagonally from ts center of gravity whereby sa d contamer may be automatically retalned in a vertlcal retaining or a substantially horizontal discharging position, the

frame being arranged to limit the movement 7 tainers each having an open top and pivotally mounted within the frame at a point situated on each container below and diagonally from its center of gravity whereby said container may be automatically retained in a vertical retaining or a substantially horizontal discharging position, the frame being arranged to limit the movement of said containers to either position; a cover hingedly mounted upon each container and arranged to swing open when said container is in a dlschargmg position and to swing shut when said container 1s in a vertlcal or retalning position; and a spring latch mounted uponeach cover to automatically engage a portion of the frame to lock the cover and container in a retaining position; a suitable housin around the frame; a door hingedly mounte to the lower front portion of the housing and frame; and suitable folding legs to support the frame and housing.

In witness whereof we hereunto set our signatures. Y

- GEORGE E. RIDDLE. WILLIAM QUEI ROLO. 

